The return to where it all started.....

On a recent return to my syndicate where I started my serious carp fishing, I had heard that there were now fishing pushing just over the 30lb barrier. My biggest from the lake was just under 25lb and had seen fish to 26lb landed and thought that between me and a few mates, these were the biggest in the lake. Now with a little more pressure over the last few years and an increase in bait going in, there was no wonder that these fish were now pushing the 30lb mark.

I decided to head down there, for a social few nights with a friend that I haven’t been fishing with for a while. Setting up in the middle of the lake where I both knew fish have been caught and upon seeing a few bosh in the lilies that run the length of the lake, I thought that this would be a good starting point.

Casting about 40 yards out to gaps in the lilies, I wanted to fish tight in as knew that the bites would come faster the closer I got. Bait was simple, boilies sweetcorn and hemp. There are a lot of bream in the lake but I remember that if you can feed the bream off and create a feeding situation, the carp come in quicker and multiple hits can be had.

I must have cast out the mini spom 5 times before another fellow angler, who had actually walked around from the other side of the lake, decided to tell me that I was making too much noise, scaring the fish and that the use of “over baiting” was now banned on this particular lake. Please bear in mind that I was not fishing near this man or causing any really additional disturbance to the lake. Also, there here must have been a “special” meeting about this as it was the first I had heard of this and also pointing out that the method feeder that he was casting every 20 minutes was probably going to be putting more bait out than I was. But not wanting to annoy the older gentleman much more, I decided to wait until he had gone before I carried on putting my bait out.

With rods and bait out shortly after the lake emptied, both my mate and I decided to have a good old cup of tea and a catch up. Now the kettle was just about filled up and the good old beep beep, line tightening and then dropping indicated that I had already a bream on. Six more bream on the bank within the next 2 hrs was a good sign but I wanted it to slow and therefore know that the carp had moved in.  

Sadly, as night drew in, I kept having bream after bream and I ended up reeling in both rods at about 11pm because I knew that that they were there to stay and in numbers too great for any carp to push out! Recasting at first light saw yet another bream in the net but I also had a 2lb carp…… even the bream were much bigger than this!

I had noticed that there were a few carp just breaking the surface at the bottom end of the lake and having a walk down I could see that there were quite a few just basking in the morning sun in the shallower water. They didn’t look like they were feeding but some were a lot more active than others. I decided to get the throwing stick out and put some bait out basically on top of them and see if it moved them off or start them feeding. I returned frequently during the day and could see that they were still there and becoming more active.

Uprooting into the furthest shallow swim, I actually needed to get the waders on and stand 6 feet into the lake to be able to make the cast the 80 yards to where the fish were showing. With a trusted chod rig, Crave 15mm pop up and a 3 foot length of lead core I was armed and dangerous.

Throwing more bait out and then both rods I then started to put the bivvi back up as it looked like it was going to thunder it down. My mate was in the swim talking when there was a flurry of beeps and an almighty bowl wave from my right hand rod with that the reel and alarm were screaming and I was into my first carp. Playing the fish in this swim is really difficult because of the lilies and the angle of the trees so on went the waders again and out into the side of the swim. I knew that the fish was a good one as the more I leant into it the more it fought back, but after a couple of dives into the right-hand snag and me almost slipping over in the lake, I netted what can only be described as a bar of autumn gold. Now there are not a lot of mirrors in the lake, I have actually only caught one before, and this I knew was one of the bigger ones.

Handing my mate the rod and the net, he instantly said “You have only gone and done it” whilst looking at the fish resting in net. I clambered out the water and got things ready for weighing and the all-important photo evidence!

Dropping the scales at a cool 31lb 01oz, this was one of the best fish that I have ever caught, not only because it was in its full autumn colours but it’s the first 30+ fish that we have had out the lake and on my very first trip back.

The heavens opened and all my stuff got completely soaked but I just didn’t care! I had achieved the target fish and nothing could take away that feeling of joy you get.

Lady luck was again on my side and the left hand rod ripped off just after the rain had stopped and another lump graced the bank in the form of a very healthy 25lb 12oz common. I could start to get used to these fishing conditions but the fish were obviously on the bait and feeding up before the winter stint.

I had another 3 takes landing 2 more commons to 18lb during the next 4 hrs and as the saying goes, 90% of fishing is finding the fish!!!!

Tight lines and be lucky!